Audiovisual distribution system for playing an audiovisual piece among a plurality of audiovisual devices connected to a central server through a network

ABSTRACT

An audiovisual distribution system includes a central server and a plurality of audiovisual units. Each unit includes structure for interactively communicating with the user for selecting a piece or a menu, a payment device, a computer network card, and a permanent semiconductor memory containing a multitask operating system comprising at least a hard disc access management task. The order for performing a selected piece is processed as a hard disc sequential access task. The hard disc is declared as a peripheral corresponding to the network card of the unit, enabling a request to be sent through the network to the server for processing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 10/195,476,filed Jul. 16, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,194, which is a continuationof application Ser. No. 08/817,426, filed Jun. 19, 1997, now abandoned,the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference inthis application.

This application is related to our co-pending commonly assigned patentsand applications:

USSN 08/817,690 (Corres. to PCT/FR94/01185 filed Oct. 12, 1994); USSN08/817,689 (Corres. to PCT/FR95/01333 filed Oct. 12, 1995); PAT. NO.6,308,204 (Corres. to PCT/FR95/01334 filed Oct. 12, 1995 USSN 08/817,968(Corres. to PCT/FR95/01335 filed Oct. 12, 1995) PAT. NO. 6,182,126(Corres. to PCT/FR95/01336 filed Oct. 12, 1995) USSN 08/817,438 (Corres.to PCT/FR95/01338 filed Oct. 12, 1995)

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to an audiovisual distribution system for playingan audiovisual piece on at least one audiovisual device from among aplurality of audiovisual devices linked in a network to a centralserver.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Networks exist which make it possible to produce music from ajukebox-type device by frequency multiplexing a musical selection on acable network of the coaxial cable type used to distribute televisionchannels. A device such as this one is known from patent EP 0140593.This patent has the drawback, however, that it requires conversion boxesto demultiplex signals, and it uses a network of the coaxial typeinvolving—for one channel—distribution of the same selection to allstations.

A first object of the invention is to allow the network to distribute asa matter of choice either the same selection to all the devices, or adifferent selection to each individual device; the selection can beeither of the audio or video type.

British patent 2193420 and patent PCT WO 9415416 also disclose audioselection distribution networks requiring telephone lines. Due to theuse of these telephone lines, network transmission speeds are limitedand a network such as this cannot be used for distribution of videoselections requiring a high transmission speed to allow good-qualityvideo reproduction.

PCT patent WO 9415416 discloses use of a telephone line of the ISDNtype, but even this type of line—the transmission speed of which islimited to 18 megabits per second—is not sufficient to distributegood-quality video data to a sufficient number of devices.

Finally, another object of the invention is a network in which thecostly elements are transferred to the level of the server to reduce thecost of each audiovisual reproduction device, but without detriment totheir performance. These costly elements are high-capacity hard disksallowing storage of a sufficient number of data selections, inparticular video, and also telecommunication modems with transmissionspeeds allowing the network to be linked to a central system servicing aplurality of networks.

This object is achieved in an audiovisual distribution system accordingto the present invention. An audiovisual piece can be played on at leastone audiovisual device from among a plurality of audiovisual devices.Each device includes audio or video units for playing a piece. The audioor video units are linked to a central computer server containingoptical or magnetic memory for mass storage of a plurality ofaudiovisual pieces selectable from any of these devices. Each of theaudiovisual devices has interactive structure for communication with theuser to select a piece or a menu, a payment device, a computer networkcard, a permanent semiconductor memory containing a multitask operatingsystem including at least one hard disk access management task in whichthe order to play a piece resulting from a selection is handled as ahard disk sequential access task and declaration of the hard disk as aperipheral corresponding to the network card of the device, in order toallow a request to a server to be sent through the network forprocessing. The server includes a multitask operating system, apermanent mass memory of the magnetic or optical type, and a networkcard by which the requests from different devices are received. Theoperating system processes these disk access requests produced by thedevices as actual disk access requests.

Another feature of the invention is that in the operating system of eachaudiovisual device, the declaration of the telecommunications modembelonging to a telecommunications access task as peripheral correspondsto that of the network card, and when a telecommunications accessrequest is made at the device level, the network card of this devicetransmits this request to the server which itself has at least onetelecommunications modem.

According to another feature, the audiovisual device is assuredbeforehand by a request that the modem card of the server be available.

According to another feature, the transmission speed of each networkcard and the buffers of video and audio control circuits are dimensionedto allow exchange of data with a transmission rate sufficient for videoanimation on a network containing at least eight audiovisual devices.

According to another feature, each audiovisual device has a touch screenand its interface software connected as an interactive means ofcommunication with the user.

According to another feature, the network has as many servers eachlinked to a hard disk as it does servers corresponding to the number(multiple of eight) of audiovisual devices.

According to another feature, the operating system of each server islinked to a switching device making it possible to decide whether thedata supplied in response to the request of one network device are givento all the network devices or only to those devices which transmitted arequest.

According to another feature, the server is equipped with structure foraudio or video performance of a piece, a payment device, and structurefor interactive communication with a user or network manager.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages and features of the invention will be discussed in thedescription below, with reference to the attached drawings, given by wayof an illustrative example but not limited to one embodiment of theinvention, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of the network according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic of the circuits which comprise an audiovisualdevice of the network;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic of the circuits which comprise a server of thenetwork;

FIG. 4 shows the organization of the multitask system which manages thehardware and software structure of each of the devices or servers of thenetwork;

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart which describes how the multitask operatingsystem functions;

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart which describes how the activities of tasks inthe multitask system are verified; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart which describes task queuing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTON OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferably, but in a nonrestrictive manner, the audiovisual reproductionsystem uses the components cited above and numbered hereafter as in FIG.1.

The system is comprised of a plurality of audiovisual devices AV (8 ₁, 8₂, 8 _(i), 8 ₁₆) linked to one another and via a computer server to atleast one server (9 ₁, 9 ₂).

There are two types of servers (9 ₁, 9 ₂) which can be linked to a localnetwork (10), master servers (9 ₁) and mirror servers (9 ₂). Masterservers (9 ₁) are those which are actively involved with the localnetwork. They are the ones which receive requests from the jukeboxes (8)and which do the work.

The job of the mirror servers (9 ₂) is to clone the master servers (9₁). They must be perfectly synchronized with their masters to be readyfor any change. When they detect that the master server (9 ₁) is nolonger responding to the requests of the jukeboxes (8), they must makedistress calls to the network administrators in order to take over forthe masters until the latter are operating normally again.

Each server (9 ₁, 9 ₂) is comprised of a central microprocessor (1 inFIG. 3) which is, for example, a high-performance PC-compatible system,the choice for the embodiment having fallen on an Intel 80486 DX/2system which has storage means and the following characteristics.

-   -   compatibility with the local Vesa bus,    -   processor cache memory: 256 kO,    -   100 Mbit network card (71)    -   high performance parallel and serial ports,    -   32-bit type SCSI/2WIDE bus controller,    -   32 MO battery backedup static RAM.

The operating system of the network cards must be a local network serversuch as NOVELL, OS/2 LAN SERVER, UNIX or any other similar operatingsystem.

This network server software allows access, exchange and sharing of dataand equipment resources in an orderly manner by applying priorities andrules of access to each of the customers connected to the local network.

Any other central processor with equivalent or better performance can beused in the invention.

The central unit (1, FIG. 3) of the server controls and manages networkcontrol circuit (7), telecommunications control circuit (4), inputcontrol or interface circuit (3), and mass storage control circuit (2).If server (9) must operate as a jukebox, it is possible to add audiocontrol circuit (5) and display control circuit (6) of the same type asof devices (8). The display consists essentially of 14 inch (35.56 cm)flat screen video monitor (62) without interleaving of the SVGA type,with high resolution and low radiation, which is used for imagereproduction (for example, the covers of the albums of the musicalselections), graphics or video clips.

For maintenance, server (9) uses external keyboard (34) which can belinked to the server which has for that purpose a keyboard connector,controlled by interface circuit (3).

Mass storage means (21) using high-speed, high-capacity SCSI-type harddisks are connected to the storage means already present in themicroprocessor of server (9). These means are used to store digitizedand compressed audiovisual data.

High-speed telecommunications modem circuit (41) of at least 28.8 Kbpsis incorporated into server (9) to authorize the link to a network fordistribution of audiovisual data controlled by a central system coveringseveral servers.

Each audiovisual device (8) has one central microprocessor unit (1, FIG.2) which is, for example, a high-performance PC-compatible system. Thechoice for the embodiment has fallen on an Intel 80486 DX/2 system whichhas storage means and the following characteristics:

-   -   compatibility with the local Vesa bus,    -   processor cache memory: 256 kO,    -   100 Mbit network card (71),    -   32 MO battery-backed static RAM,    -   high performance parallel and serial ports.

Any other central processor with equivalent or better performance can beused in the invention.

This central unit controls and manages audio control circuit (5), inputcontrol circuit (3), computer network control circuit (7) and displaycontrol circuit (6). The display consists essentially of a 14 or 15 inch(35.56 cm) flat screen video monitor (62) without interleaving of theSVGA type, with high resolution and low radiation, which is used forimage reproduction (for example, the covers of the albums of the musicalselections), graphics or video clips.

To reproduce the audio data of musical selections, the devices andpossibly the server(s) have loudspeakers (54) which receive the signalof an amplifier-tuner (53) linked to electronic circuit (5) of the musicsynthesizer type intended to support a large number of input sourceswhile providing one output with CD (compact disk)-type quality, such asfor example the microprocessor multimedia audio adapter of the “SoundBlaster” card type SBP32AWE by Creative Labs Inc to which two memorybuffers (56, 57) are added for the purpose described below. This circuit(5) has the function of decompressing the digital data arriving via thenetwork.

Likewise the display control circuit also has two buffer memories (66,67) for the purpose described below.

A ventilated, thermally controlled power supply of 240 watts powers eachdevice or server. This power supply is protected from surges andharmonics.

Each audiovisual device (8) and possibly the server(s) (9) manage—viainput controller circuit (3)—an “Intelli Touch” 14-inch (35.56 cm) touchscreen (33) from Elo Touch Systems Inc. which includes a glass coatedboard using “advanced surface wave technology” and an AT type buscontroller. This touch screen allows, after having displayed on videomonitor (62) or television screen (61) various selection data used bythe customers, as well as management command and control informationused by the system manager or owner. It is likewise used on each device(8) for maintenance purposes in combination with external keyboard (34)which can be connected to the device which has a keyboard connector forthis purpose, controlled by key lock (32) via interface circuit (3).

Input circuit (3) of at least one of devices (8) of the network likewiseinterfaces with a remote control set (31) composed for example of:

-   -   an infrared remote control from Mind Path Technologies Inc.,        including an emitter which has 15 control keys for the        microprocessor system and 8 control keys for the projection        device.    -   an infrared receiver with serial adapter from Mind Path        Technologies Inc.

A fee payment device (35) from National Rejectors Inc. is likewiseconnected to input interface circuit (3). It is also possible to use anyother device which allows receipt of any type of payment by coins,bills, tokens, magnetic chip cards or a combination of means of payment.

To house the circuits, each device has a chassis or frame of steel withexternal customizable fittings.

Besides these components, a wireless or wired microphone (55) isconnected to audio controller (5) of each device; this allowstransformation of the latter into a powerful public address system orpossibly a karaoke machine. Likewise a wireless loudspeaker system canbe used by the system.

Remote control set (31) allows the manager, for example from behind thebar, to access and control various commands such as:

-   -   microphone start/stop command,    -   loudspeaker muting command,    -   audio volume control command;    -   command to cancel the musical selection being played.

Two buffers (56, 57) are connected to audio controller circuit (5) toallow storage of information corresponding to a quarter of a second ofsound each in alternation. Likewise two buffers (66, 67) are linked toeach video controller circuit (6), each of which is able to store atenth of a second of video in alternation. Finally, an input interfacebuffer (36) is connected to each input interface (3) of each device (8)or server (9).

The system operating software of each device (8) or server (9) wasdeveloped around a library of tools and services largely oriented to theaudiovisual domain in a multimedia environment. This libraryadvantageously includes a powerful multitask operating system whicheffectively authorizes simultaneous execution of multiple fragments ofcode. This operating software thus allows concurrent execution—in anorderly manner and avoiding any conflict—of operations carried out onthe display or audio reproduction structure as well as management of thetelecommunications lines via the distribution network. In addition, thesoftware has high flexibility.

The digitized and compressed audiovisual data are stored in storage (21)of server (9).

Each selection is available in two digitized formats: with hi-fi qualityor CD quality.

The operating software of each device (8) is installed in the batterybacked-up static RAM of each device (8), while the operating software ofserver (9) can be backed up on hard disk (21) and loaded for operationin the server's RAM.

It must be noted that the specific tasks of the modules which make upthe operating system are executed simultaneously in an environment usingthe multitask operating system. Consequently, the organizational chartindicates specific operations which a module must perform and not abranch to this module which would invalidate all the operationsperformed by the other modules.

The first module, labeled SSM, is the startup module. This module doesonly one thing, and consequently it is loaded automatically when thedevice or server is powered up and then directly re-enters the “inservice” mode of the module labeled RMM.

The RMM module is the module of the “in service” mode which is the modeof operation which the system enters when its registration number hasbeen validated. In this mode, device (8) or server (9) is ready tohandle any request which can be triggered by various predefined eventssuch as:

-   -   users touching the screen of device (8), transferring foreground        session control to the CBSM module from the customer browsing        and selection mode,    -   telecommunications call requests by the TSM telecommunications        services module,

Device (8) or server (9) remains in the “in service” mode until one ofthe events cited above takes place.

The CBSM module is the customer browsing and selection mode. Access tothis module is triggered from the “in service” mode when the customertouches the screen. The display allows the user to view a menu providedfor powerful browsing assisted by digitized voice messages to guide theuser in his choice of musical selections.

The TSM module is the telecommunications services mode module betweenthe network server and a central system covering several serversbelonging to different networks. The module allows management of allmanagement services available on the distribution network. All the tasksspecific to telecommunications are managed as background tasks of thesystem. These tasks always use only parts of the processing timeremaining once the system has completed all its foreground tasks. Thus,when the system is busy with one of its higher priority tasks, thetelecommunications tasks automatically will try to reduce thelimitations on system resources and recover all the microprocessorprocessing time left available.

The SPMM module allows management of musical, song or video selectionsqueued by the system for execution in the order of selection.

The multitask operating system is the essential component for allowingsimultaneous execution of multiple code fragments and for managingpriorities between the various tasks which arise.

This multitask operating system is organized as shown in FIG. 4 around akernel comprising a module (11) for resolving priorities between tasks,task scheduling module (12), module (13) for serialization of hardwareused, and process communications module (14). Each of the modulescommunicates with applications programming interfaces (15) and database(16). There are as many programming interfaces as there areapplications. Thus, module (15) includes first programming interface(153) for touch screen (33), second programming interface (154) for thekeyboard, third programming interface (155) for payment device (35),fourth programming interface (156) for audio control circuit (5), fifthprogramming interface (157) for video control circuit (6) and lastinterface (158) for computer network control circuit (7).

It should be noted that the programming interface of the network card issupplied with the card when a network kit is purchased and that thenetwork card is declared to the operating system as the peripheralcomprising the hard disk or the modem, telecommunication card of eachaudiovisual device (8). Thus each operating system of each device (8),after calling a telecommunications procedure or hard disk accessprocedure following a selection, triggers a network communicationsession in which the network card of the server will make the calledresource available to each audiovisual device (8).

Five tasks with a decreasing order of priority are managed by the kernelof the operating system, the first (76) for the video inputs/outputs hasthe highest priority, the second (75) of level two relates to audio, thethird (74) of level three to telecommunications, the fourth (73) oflevel four to interfaces and the fifth (70) of level five to management.These orders of priority will be considered by priority resolutionmodule (11) as and when a task appears and disappears. Thus, as soon asa video task appears, the other tasks underway are suspended, priorityis given to this task and all the resources are assigned to the videotask. At the output, video task (76) is designed to unload the videofiles from mass memory (21) alternatively to one of two buffers (66, 67)of device (8) which made the request, whereas the other buffer (67 or66) is used by video controller circuit (6) of device (8) having madethe request to produce the display after data decompression. At theinput, video task (76) from server (9) is designed to transfer datareceived in telecommunications buffer (46) of server (9) to mass storage(21) of server (9). It is the same for audio task (75) on the one handat the input between a telecommunications buffer (46) and the buffer(26) of mass memory (21) and on the other hand at the output between abuffer (26) of mass memory (21) of server (9) and one of two buffers(56, 57) of audio controller circuit (5) of device (8) which made therequest.

Task scheduling module (12) of each device (8) or server (9) will now bedescribed in conjunction with FIG. 5. In the order of priority thismodule performs first test (761) to determine if the video task isactive, i.e, if one of video buffers (66, 67) is empty. In the case of anegative response the task scheduling module passes to the followingtest which is second test (751) to determine if the audio task isactive, i.e, if one of buffers (56, 57) is empty. In the case of anegative response, a third test (741) determines if the communicationtask is active, i.e., if buffer (46) is empty. After a positive responseto one of the tests, task scheduling module (12) at stage (131) fillsmemory access request queue (13) and at stage (132) executes thisrequest by reading or writing between mass storage (21) of server (9)and the buffer corresponding to the active task of device (8), thenloops back to the first test. When test (741) on communications activityis affirmative, scheduler (12) performs test (742) to determine if it isa matter of reading or writing data in the memory. If yes, the read orwrite request is placed in a queue at stage (131). In the opposite case,the scheduler determines at stage (743) if it is transmission orreception and in the case of transmission sends via a networkcommunication procedure at step (744) a block of data to server (9) fortransmission by the latter to the central system covering severalservers. In the case of reception the scheduler verifies at stage (746)that the server buffers are free for access and in the affirmative sendsa message to the central server to accept reception of a data block atstage (747). After receiving a block, an error check (748) of the cyclicredundancy check (CRC) type is executed. The block is rejected at stage(740) in case of error, or accepted in the opposite case at stage (749)by sending a message corresponding to the central system indicating thatthe block bearing a specific number is rejected or accepted, then loopsback to the start tests. When there is no higher level task active, atstage (731 or 701) the scheduler processes interface or managementtasks.

Detection of an active task or ready task is done as shown in FIG. 6 bya test respectively (721 to 761) on each of respective hardware orsoftware buffers (26) of the hard disk, (36) of the interface, (46) oftelecommunications, (56 and 57) of audio, (66 and 67) of video which arelinked to each of respective controller circuits (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) ofeach of the hardware devices linked to central processor (1).

Test (721) makes it possible to see whether the data are present in theinput and output memory buffer of the disk, test (731) makes it possibleto see whether data are present in the hardware or software memorybuffers of the customer interface device, test (741) makes it possibleto see whether data are present in the software or hardware memorybuffers of the telecommunications device, test (751) makes it possibleto determine whether data are present in the hardware or software memorybuffer for direction, and test (761) makes it possible to see whetherdata are present in the hardware or software memory buffers of the videodevice.

If one or more of these buffers are filled with data, scheduler (12)positions respective status buffer or buffers (821) for the hard disk,(831) for the interface, (841) for telecommunications, (851) for audio,(861) for video corresponding to the material in a logic stateindicative of the activity. In the opposite case the scheduler statusbuffers are returned at stage (800) to a value indicative of inactivity.

The operating status of server (9) or respectively of device (8) is kepton hard disk (21) of server (9) or respectively in the battery backed-upmemory of device (8).

Each time a notable event occurs, the system immediately registers it inthe permanent storage.

Thus, in the case in which an electrical fault or hardware failureoccurs, the system will accordingly restart exactly at the same locationwhere it had been interrupted.

Events which trigger back-up of the operating status are:

-   -   insertion of money (crediting);    -   addition of a selection to the queue;    -   end of a selection (change from the selection currently being        played).

The file is then in a machine format which can only be read by the unitand does not occupy more than 64 octets.

The number and type of active tasks are indicated to scheduler (12) byexecution of the selection management module SPMM whose flowchart isshown in FIG. 7. The management exercised by this module begins withtest (61) to determine if selections are in the queue.

Consequently, if test (61) on the queue determines that selections arewaiting, when a customer chooses a title he wishes to hear, it isautomatically written in a queue file of the system on hard disk.

Thus, any selection made will never be lost in case of an electricalfailure. The system plays (reproduces) the selection in its entiretybefore removing it from the queue file.

When the selection has been reproduced in its entirety, it is removedfrom the queue file and written in the system statistics file with thedate and time of purchase as well as the date and time at which it wasplayed.

Immediately after transfer of the completed selection to the statisticsfile, the device checks if there are others in the queue file. If thereis another, the device begins immediately to play the selection.

Processing continues with test (65) conducted to determine if theselection contains an audio scenario. If yes, at stage (651) thisscenario is written in the task queue of scheduler (12). If not, orafter this entry, processing is continued by test (66) to determine ifthe selection contains moving images. If yes, the video scenario iswritten at stage (661) in the task queue of scheduler (12). If no or ifyes after this entry, processing is continued by test (64) to determineif the selection contains still graphics. If yes, at stage (641) thisgraphic presentation scenario is written in the task queue of scheduler(12). If no or if yes after this entry, processing is continued by test(63) to determine if the selection contains an advertising scenario. Ifyes, at stage (631) the scenario is written in the task queue ofscheduler (12). Thus scheduler (12) notified of uncompleted tasks canmanage the progression of tasks simultaneously.

Due on the one hand to the task management mode assigning highest ordersof priority to video tasks requiring the most resources, on the otherhand to the presence of hardware or software buffers assigned to each ofthe tasks to temporarily store data, the presence of status buffersrelating to each task, and communication between each device and aserver via the computer network, it is possible to transfer costlyresources necessary for certain tasks of devices (8) to single centralunit (9) which also has a multitask operating system.

A basic server (9) is designed to service a local network having up toeight customer jukeboxes. With addition of appropriate peripherals, suchas supplementary hard disks, one server can serve a maximum of 8additional jukeboxes. To add more jukeboxes, it is possible to createlocal network environments which have several servers which share tasks.Thus it is possible to create environments capable of meeting any need.

A completely equipped server has sufficient resources to administer 16jukeboxes. A server can support up to 7 disks which can contain as manyselections as there is available space needed for the type of selection,with the knowledge that an audio selection and its graphic part require3.4125 Mbits of available disk space, and an audio and video selectionrequires 39.568 Mbits of available disk space.

In order to circumvent these limitations and meet the needs ofestablishments such as hotel complexes which sometimes have severalhundred rooms, it is possible to use mass storage technologies such asRAID to back up the selections and/or network configurations withmultiple servers in order to serve the jukeboxes.

It is also possible to add additional telecommunications peripherals(41) such as modems in order to satisfy the network's additional needsfor telecommunications to the outside.

The network allows the server to assume responsibility for carrying outseveral tasks common to each jukebox in order to avoid redundancy ofwork, computer operations and equipment.

The local network also serves as an important link between all thejukeboxes by making connections which allow all data common to all thejukeboxes to be kept and made accessible to each of them.

The common data kept on a server are either audio/video selections orstatistics of use of the purchases of each jukebox, or statistics on theaudio/video selections.

The jukebox or audiovisual device (8) on the one hand has notelecommunications peripherals because the latter are centralized atserver (9), but it does make requests to server (9) which processes themas a priority; on the other hand, it does not have the disk spacerequired to store audio/video selections, since the selections arecentralized at server (9) so that they may be shared with all thejukeboxes of the local network.

Network jukebox (8) needs very little permanent storage space, since alldata will now be centralized, allowing units without hard disks to beproduced and thus reducing maintenance by eliminating those parts mostlikely to break down. In jukebox (8) without a hard disk, a permanentmemory region contains the information and an operating programnecessary to make connections with the server and start-up the jukeboxoperating system.

This permanent memory can be in the form of an EEPROM, static memorybanks which are backed up by batteries or even cards called HARD CARDSwhich are static memory banks backed up by batteries with functionsallowing the tasks of a hard disk to be cloned.

The operating system of jukebox module (8) is assured of having theresources necessary to do its work. To do this it must manage the statusof links with centralized peripherals and if necessary make requests tothe server requesting that the appropriate connections be made betweenthe jukebox and the required peripheral. If the resources, for example,telecommunications resources, are not in use by a jukebox, then server(9) will provide exclusive links to the jukebox.

Once the connection has been made, jukebox (8) can do its work as if theresource were its own. Once the jukebox (8) finishes its work, it sendsa request to the server to be disconnected from the resource, thusmaking it available for other jukeboxes (8) in the network.

The order and logic used to provide distribution and access privilegesto the ordered resources are controlled by the network operating systemwhich is on server (9).

Thus a switching device such as a hardware or software key allows thenetwork operator to decide whether server (9) shall play the sameselection on all devices (8) of the network or to let each device (8)play a different selection. In this latter case, hard disk resourceswill be accessed time-shared between each device (8), since buffers (56,57; 66, 67) of each device (8) have sufficient capacity to awaitsubsequent access without there being discontinuity in the audio orvisual representation.

Moreover, the multitask operating system, which includes a librarycontaining a set of tools and services, considerably facilitatesoperation due to its integration in the memory storage and the resultinghigh degree of flexibility. In particular, this allows a multimediaenvironment to be created by simply and efficiently managing audioreproduction, video or graphics display, and video animation. Inaddition, since the audiovisual data are digitized and stored in theserver's storage alone, the cost of the network is considerably reduced.

Likewise, transfer of hardware necessary for the telecommunicationsfunction of each device (8) on the network server greatly reduces thecost and by using a computer network with a transmission speed of 100Mbit/s makes it possible to serve simultaneously at least eight deviceswhich can all simultaneously reproduce a different video animation pieceon each of the devices, with the knowledge that each video animationrequiring a transmission speed of 10 Mbit/s.

This would not have been possible with the ISDN network of patent WO94/15416, with a transmission speed which is on the order of 1 Mbit/s,insufficient even for video animation. The same applies to any otherline for long distance data transmission.

Any modification by one skilled in the art is likewise part of theinvention. Thus, regarding buffers, it should be remembered that theycan be present either physically in the circuit to which they areassigned or implemented by software by reserving storage space in thesystem memory.

1. A jukebox system for playing a musical piece, comprising: a centraljukebox server including therein a master server and a mirror server,the central jukebox server including: a mass storage that stores aplurality of musical pieces, wherein the mass storage is shared by eachof the master and mirror server; a server network card that receivesrequests for said musical pieces, a plurality of jukebox devices, eachincluding: an audio unit for playing the musical piece, an interfaceunit that effects communication with a device user, a payment device forreceiving payment in exchange for playing musical pieces, a devicenetwork card linked to said server network card, and a device multitaskoperating system module operatively coupled with respectively the audiounit, said interface unit, said payment device, and said device networkcard, wherein said device network card of each jukebox device isdeclared to said device multitask operating system as a peripheralcorresponding to a hard disk, said device multitask operating systemhaving at least one hard disk access management task in which the orderto play a musical piece resulting from a selection is processed as ahard disk sequential access task which makes the device network cardsend a request for said musical pieces, in the form of a hard disksequential access request, to the server network card, such that eachjukebox device does not include a storage medium for musical pieces,wherein the mirror server is configured to at least temporarily replacethe master server associated therewith when problems with the masterserver are detected.
 2. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein eachjukebox device is configured to initiate a telecommunications accessrequest at a device level.
 3. The jukebox system of claim 1, whereineach jukebox device is configured to communicate with the master serverto indicate whether the master server is available to transfer one ormore musical pieces.
 4. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein theinterface unit of each jukebox device comprises a touch screen display.5. The jukebox system of claim 1, wherein the master jukebox server isconfigured to selectively function as a jukebox device.
 6. The jukeboxsystem of claim 1, wherein the mirror server is configured to detectproblems with the master server associated therewith.
 7. The jukeboxsystem of claim 6, wherein the mirror server is configured to contact anetwork administrator when problems with the master server are detected.8. The jukebox system of claim 6, wherein the mirror server isconfigured to at least temporarily replace the master server associatedtherewith when problems with the master server are detected.
 9. Thejukebox system of claim 6, wherein one said problem is the master serverceasing to respond to jukebox device requests.
 10. The jukebox system ofclaim 1, wherein one said problem is the master server ceasing torespond to jukebox device requests.